A Pale Shadow
by tsongmandude
Summary: This is fic involving Haruko, Rukawa, and Sakuragi. It's about how one should never leave anything unsaid or undone.
1. Moving On

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*Disclaimer: Slam Dunk isn't mine, it's Takehiko Inoue's. None of the characters in this chapter are mine.   
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A Pale Shadow by tsongmandude  
  
Chapter 1: Moving On  
  
  
"W-would you like some water, Rukawa-kun?" the petite brown-haired Akagi Haruko shyly asked Rukawa Kaede, Shohoku's ace   
player.  
  
Without a word, Rukawa took the bottle off her after staring blankly at the girl for a little more than just moment. He opened  
the bottle and gulped down the contents. When he finished, he gave the bottle back to Haruko who stood in the same spot just  
staring at him. Haruko was startled and took the bottle. Rukawa just left and sat at the edge of the bench away from his   
teammates, his face buried in the towel in his hands.  
  
Haruko sighed but had gotten used to this kind of treatment from the raven-haired basketball player. Haruko had become   
assistant team manager after the graduation of her brother and his batchmates from Shohoku highschool last year. This was   
her second year in the high school and was also the second year of her knowing Rukawa. Rukawa had seldom given any signal  
to show her that he knew she even existed last year. This year was much worse. Even so, Haruko was able to justify Rukawa's  
actions, or lack of, towards her.  
  
Mitsui, Kogure and her elder brother Takenori had graduated last year. Mitsui and her brother played a huge role in bringing  
the team into the championships. Their absence was being felt by the team. She told herself that Rukawa must feel the added   
burden upon his shoulders. He was trying extra hard to keep Shohoku in contention for the championships in the Kanagawa  
prefecture. Rukawa, Sakuragi, and Ryota were the only ones left from the original team. They were hard-pressed every game.   
Nothing came as easy as before. There were plenty of new good players on the team, now that Shohoku was gaining popularity,   
but the team still had a long way until they became as fluid as last year's team. It was their single-mindedness and ability   
to act as one unit that made the old team such a great threat to other teams. The new team still had to train together long   
and hard to even come close to the greatness of that team. If only she knew where to start...  
  
Haruko's obsession with Rukawa was actually waining by now. She didn't think he was a jerk or an idiot or anything like that.  
She just realized that there was no place for her, or any other girl for that matter, in his life. He just was not interested  
in girls. He desire and focus becoming the best in Japan and bringing the team to the championships made sure of that she   
thought. The realization wasn't really painful -- just extremely disappointing. She just learned to let go and move on.  
  
After finishing his own bottle of water, Hanamachi was instantly at Haruko's side. "Haruko! Did you see the perfectly   
executed alley-oop the genius made just before the end of the second half?! That fox Rukawa surely cannot do the same!!!   
Nyahahahahahaha!!! Top that, kitsune!!!" Hanamichi shouted almost into the ear of Rukawa.   
  
"Do'aho..." Rukawa muttered under his breath. Haruko could not help but smile at the two bickering teammates. She knew that   
though these two were almost always at each others throats, they had the greatest respect for each other. Both knew the great   
contributions of each in every game. Hanamichi had an incredible jumping ability. He was known to match up against the   
tallest players in the prefecture. He was the King of Rebounds as he called himself. Hanamichi had learned to play basketball  
only in his first year of highschool yet was able to become a threat to other teams in such a short period. It was really was   
amazing. He was probably some sort of athletic genius, if there was such a thing . If only he could stop praising himself all   
the time...  
  
Ryota had, by now, started running towards the two players... not quite convinced that he would be able to stop them but   
willing to try, nonetheless. As usual, Hanamichi suddenly slugged Rukawa upside the head which signalled the start of their   
almost weekly fights. The whole Shohoku team was used to the sight by now. They were sure that nothing serious would really   
happen. Haruko always worried that one of them might get hurt badly but she also felt that this was how the strange   
friendship of the two players would be for some time. Hanamichi despised Rukawa for some reason and Rukawa felt the same for   
the fiery-maned player but there was an undeniable respect and admiration between the two.  
  
"What the -- ?! You two punks are still at it?!?!" boomed a voice that appeared out of nowhere. Haruko instantly recognized  
the voice as her onii-chan's and began running towards him. "Onii-chan! You never said that you were coming today! What a   
pleasant surprise!" She gave her brother a hug. Takenori gave a hug back in spades. He couldn't help but smile and suddenly  
recalled the times when they were kids that he would always have to be by her side because of her clumsiness. His sister meant   
the world to him. She would always be his cute little sister that he would do anything to protect.   
  
Haruko suddenly noticed that her brother wasn't alone. She saw the smiling faces of Kogure and Mitsui behind her brother. She  
noticed that all three were dressed in their basketball gear. "Mitsui-sempai, Kogure-sempai...! I'm so glad you all came!"   
Both Mitsui and Kogure couldn't help but smile at the girl. She was like a little sister to them and they were like elder  
brothers to her. They felt very protective of her, silently sharing in her joys and sufferings. They were glad that she had   
gotten over Rukawa. She didn't need that kind of pain so early in life.   
  
"We heard that the team's having a hard time meshing. We're here to help out. After all, we can't let Shohoku become a   
pushover again." We're at the top of the food chain guys. Let's make sure we stay there. Since our load isn't really that heavy,  
we figured we'd just give the team the workout they'll need to survive." Taking Haruko aside, Kogure and Mitsui smiled and said,   
"Just leave everything to your extra onii-chans, Haruko. We'll see our team through."  
  
Haruko had e-mailed her brother at university often. After becoming co-manager of the team along with Ayako, she asked her  
brother for advice in dealing with the team. She just found that the group wasn't jiving well. Her responsibility for the team   
grew because Ayako was now dealing with her studies more seriously in hopes of entering a good university. She aimed high   
enough -- UCLA. Ayako still came quite often but was unable to devote as much time to the team as before. Haruko understood   
all this. She would be in the same situation in her third and last year in high school. At the moment, however, it was her duty   
to keep the boys in top condition through hard basketball drills and training. She was hard-pressed though because she didn't  
have an all-powerful fan, the mere sight of which made sure the boys were in-line. She had yet to prove herself in a manner of   
speaking. The sight of the old members of the team somehow rejuvenated her.  
  
When practice ended, Takenori told his sister that Mitsui, Kogure, and he would be visiting some other batchmates at a local   
hangout. She wished them well and left the gym. Hanamichi, Rukawa and some other team members were cleaning up the gym at the  
time she began packing up.   
  
"Haruko-chan...?" a familiar voice asked her rather quietly.  
  
She looked up and saw a trembling Hanamichi holding a mop and a bucket of water. "Yes, Sakuragi-kun?" she asked him.  
  
"H-Haruko-chan... I was wondering if I could w-walk you home today. I still have to f-finish cleaning some parts of the gym   
but I'm s-sure I could finsh up pretty quickly... please?" Sakuragi stuttered. He had summoned all his will just to say tell  
Haruko this and was sweating profusely.  
  
"Sakuragi-kun, are you feeling cold? Are coming down with something?" Haruko touches his forehead with the back of her hand.  
  
"You're hot! I think we should just go home now. I think you just caught something. Hmmm, I didn't know there was something   
going around. Gosh. I'll just let the others know that you'll be going home early. We can't have the tensai basketball man  
going around sick, can we? Whatever would Shohoku do!" Haruko said rather teasingly. She went towards the others who were   
cleaning the gym as well and told them that she'd walk Sakuragi home. They all said it was fine since Sakuragi's crush with Haruko  
being known to everyone in the school save for Haruko herself they thought. They began to chat about Sakuragi's antics when the two   
left for home.  
  
Sakuragi was blushing furiously. He was so happy. Haruko said she wanted to walk him home! Of course, he wouldn't allow this  
and would, in fact, walk her home. He couldn't allow Haruko to walk the streets of Kanagawa by herself, after all. There were   
just to many gangs that could possibly pick on a sweet angel like Haruko.   
  
They were pretty silent the whole trip with small talk going between them from time to time. Haruko being the one would talk   
from time to time to praise Sakuragi for his wonderful improvements. Sakuragi could just smile and say "Thanks! You can't   
expect anything less from the tensai basketball man..." then silence. Sakuragi was just happy being with her. He truly was in  
love with this girl. Sakuragi hadn't allowed Haruko to walk him home. He walked her home instead saying that her house was   
much nearer and that he wouldn't need her help getting home after all. Haruko had just offered token resistance and eventually  
gave in to Sakuragi's request. She actually felt rather tired for some reason. She was still concerned for Sakuragi and told   
him to send her a text message on her phone when he got home. Sakuragi almost fainted with the idea of Haruko being so concerned  
with his welfare. They said their goodbyes and Sakuragi made his way home.  
  
Haruko actually liked Sakuragi's company. He was someone who was always there for her. She could tell him anything and   
everything. He was one of the most understanding, kind-hearted, and thoughful people she knew. He was right up there along with  
her own brother and Kogure-sempai. She was thankful that she had him for a friend. Also, she knew that he liked her a lot.   
She wasn't really that dense. She just didn't have the heart to put him off even if she did like Rukawa. Now that she had   
accepted that nothing would come from her affection for Rukawa, she had entertained ideas of actually going out with Sakuragi.  
He was nice enough, after all, and she always had a good time whenever she was with him. She was extremely proud of him for the   
rapid progress he was making playing basketball for the Shohoku team. He had become a irreplaceable member of the team. She had   
already pushed back all her dreams of ever becoming even close to Rukawa to the deepest recesses of her conscious mind. She would   
from time to time slip, of course, but she no longer hoped for anything at all with him. She had accepted her fate and was willing   
to move on now.  
  
Hiding in the shadows, a tall figure was watching the two friends talking in front of the Akagi residence. None of the words   
could have reached him but he saw them quite clearly. He saw Sakuragi leave and Haruko enter her house.   
  
"Thank you for seeing her home safe... do'aho."   
  
  
  
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* some feedback would be nice.  
* i know my writing isn't that great but i've read so many fanfics in this site that i just had to put one myself   
* please show me any inconsistencies and any suggestions to make this thing a little more interesting are welcome  
* thanks to you all   
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	2. Carpe Diem

A Pale Shadow by tsongmandude  
  
Chapter 2: Carpe Diem  
  
  
Haruko had taken a bath and was lying in bed waiting for Sakuragi to sms her that he got home safely. She truly worried for the fellow whom she thought was coming down with something. She was really tired for some reason and was about to fall asleep when her cellphone suddenly beeped after receiving an sms. She read the message.  
  
Sakuragi: "hi haruko. m hme nw. l feel btr 2m. dnt wory abt me. tnx 4 oferng 2 tak me hme. gnyt slp tyt n dnt let d bed bugs byt! l c u 2m. :D (hi haruko. i'm home now. i'll feel better tomorrow. don't worry about me. thanks for offering to take me home. good night, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite! l see you tomorrow! :D)."  
  
Sakuragi went straight to his room when he got home. He flung his school bag and basket ball to the floor beside his bed and lay down. He immediately sent Haruko a text message saying he was home. She made him promise to tell her when he got home so that she wouldn't worry about him. He sent his message but was hoping that he wouldn't wake her up. He expected that she was fast asleep by now because she looked extremely tired when they were going home earlier that night.   
  
He was just laying on his bed in the dark after sending his message to Haruko. He was wondering how lucky he was to have such a good friend like Akagi Haruko, so caring and thoughtful. He was amazed at his good fortune. She was the one who introduced him to basketball, the game which he had grown to love so much. At first, he played only because Haruko said that he looked like a basketball player and that he would be perfect for such a sport. She had been so enthusiastic about him. She had so much faith in him that it was horrifying for him to even think about letting her down. His progress was fast   
though. With her to inspire him almost every step of the way, he had been able to pull down more boards than many of the other Kanagawa prefecture team centers. Through thick and thin she was there. She was able to find something positive in just about anything. He remembered the day that he cost the team the game against Kainan. She told him that even tensais made mistakes.  
  
He was imagining the smiling face of Haruko who had always been there for him when his own cellphone suddenly sounded after   
recieving an sms. He picked up the phone and read the message.   
  
Haruko: "helo hanamichi. m glad tht ur hme safe. pls drnk lots f watr 2nyt b4 u slp. we dnt wnt tht fvr f urs getng   
any wors. pls dnt stay up late. try 2 slp early 2nyt n drnk sme mdicne 2 help u slp ryt away. pls tak mor car f urslf.  
tnx 4 walkng me hme 2nyt. u knw i always lyk ur cmpny. gnyt. :D (hello hanamichi. i'm glad that your home safe. please drink lots of water tonight before you sleep. we don't want that fever of yours to get any worse. please don't stay up late. try to sleep early tonight. you know i always like your company. good night. :D)"  
  
He felt warm all over. He couldn't help but smile to himself. Everything Haruko did just made him fall deeper and deeper in love with her. She was totally unlike all those other girls he had known in the past. Sure some of them may have even been cuter than Haruko but none of them could even come close to what Haruko had come to mean to him. She was his pillar of strength. She was his muse. She was his inspiration for everything.   
  
"Haruko-chan..." he whispered quietly to himself and fell asleep dreaming of her quietly smiling down on him.  
  
At 700am the next morning, in Sakuragi Hanamichi's room:  
  
"Dammit, i don't want to do it! Why don't you do it? How come I have to be the one?" a figure with blonde curly hair said to his plump friend.  
  
"I already did it the other day! I don't want to do it today! How about you?" the plump figure with shades pointed to his companion with a moustache.  
  
"Me? No way! I already woke him up yesterday..." The moustached boy said to his friend.  
  
All three looked at each other when a brilliant idea suddenly hit them simultaneously. They slowly looked at their dark-haired companion who had been rather quiet, just peeking into the room from behind the door. The peeking boy's eyes suddenly reflected   
worry. His forehead started to sweat.  
  
"Oh, Yohei..." they almost sang.  
  
"K'so.... this is gonna hurt."  
  
He looked at the sleeping Hanamichi. He noticed that he was moaning something and smiling stupidly in his sleep.  
  
"...Haruko-chan... I love you... " he mumbled.  
  
When it saw that Hanamichi was dreaming about Haruko, Yohei almost cried, shaking his head, his eyes watering. Yes, this was certainly going to hurt.  
  
He prepared for the worst and just to get it over with, took a deep breath and shouted into the sleeping Hanamichi's ear, "Hanamichi!!! Wake up already!!! We're gonna be late again!!!"  
  
Hanamichi almost jumped off his bed, he was seeing blood. He looked around him to see who dared awaken him from the best dream he had ever had. When he saw his four friends surrounding his bed, he gave each a solid headbutt which resulted with lying on the floor of his room, smoking coming from an angry red bump that had suddenly grown on their foreheads. They were all semi-conscious.  
  
"...i. think. my. forehead. just. split. guys..." Yohei muttered.  
  
"...me. too..." the other three were able to reply in unison before succumbing to the welcoming darkness of unconsciousness.  
  
After 30 minutes, all five of them were on their way to school. Hanamichi had forgotten about the whole incident that morning. The four of them had forgotten about the red bump they all had on their foreheads and were intently listening to Sakuragi.  
  
"...What do you guys think is wrong? How come I'm never able to pop her the question? I know that I can talk to her about anything under the sun but whenever it comes to asking her if I could be her boyfriend, I always freeze up. I get so scared for some reason. I just can't explain it. I don't fear the rejection... okay, I'm still a little wary, but I just don't think that's what I'm really afraid of. I'm sure it's not. It's something else. Strange, bro. I suddenly become worried for Haruko. What the hell, right? I just don't get it..."  
  
All four members of the Sakuragi Army walked quietly with Hanamichi. They were all lost in thought. Hanamichi's question hadn't come as a total surprise. They all knew that something was holding him back. He was never this way before. He was always a risk-taker. He never let an opportunity pass him by. He was a little too persistent at times but when he wanted something, he would stop at nothing to get it.   
  
They all knew that Haruko was the one for Hanamichi. They were there when Hanamichi was dumped by the 50 girls he had liked before high school. They liked to tease him about it only because they knew that Hanamichi was only infatuated with these girls. Hanamichi never really loved any of them they knew. They were just pretty girls. It was really just some kind of intense infatuation. They could never imagine Hanamichi with any of them. Akagi Haruko, however, was a different story. The first time Hanamichi saw her started ordinarily enough. He had always reacted that the first time he saw each of his crushes. They were all able to get to know each of the 50 girls Hanamichi had liked.   
  
None of the other girls were quite like Haruko, though. She was the only person who didn't cringe or think he was some freak when she saw him. She did not know his past when she got to know him in their first year of high school. She never judged him as   
some good-for-nothing troublemaker. She knew him as somebody very nice and nothing anybody could say would change that. Of course, there was that one time when she got mad at him thinking he picked a fight with Rukawa on the rooftop of the school,   
but Haruko apologized to Hanamichi for jumping to conclusions immediately after learning the truth. He would never be some stupid irritating punk ass troublemaker to her. She knew him as a caring, thoughtful, protective and loving person. She knew that Hanamichi was very shy sometimes and had many insecurities. In spite of these, she liked Hanamichi and would always defend him and stand up for him when anyone would say anything demeaning about Hanamichi behind his back. She knew of his by now, of course, Hanamichi was even the one who told her. She accepted him and never feared him even after such information was given to her. She was the one for Hanamichi they knew. She would be perfect. She was the kind of girl each one of them wanted for himself yet they knew Hanamichi was the one who needed her the most. He was the one who deserved her and she was the one who deserved him. The Hanamichi only they were aware existed. The Hanamichi that no one else in the school, save for some members of the basketball team, knew. The real Sakuragi Hanamichi that loved Akagi Haruko with all his heart.  
  
  
They all had a little crush with Haruko but they never made any move for her. She was their friend and all but she responded to Hanamichi best and it was very clear that Haruko had gotten very close to him. Hanamichi had changed from the way he used to be from the time he met Haruko. He wasn't as hot-headed as before, less edgy. They were envied Hanamichi a little but were also happy for him. They wanted her for Hanamichi. They would do anything to see it happen. They just didn't know what.  
  
They walked the streets of Kanagawa, the fallen autumn leaves rustling at their feet. Cars sped massed them along the thoroughfare. They were all lost in thought. The sun was beginning to shine brightly, evidence of a hot day coming. Hanamichi's friends began to organize their thoughts.  
  
"You know," Yohei began, "we can't just tell you what to do. You know why, Hanamichi? It's because we're not you. We can put ourselves in your place all we want. We can tell you what we would do in your shoes but in the end, it's all really up to you. The real question to ask i what do you think you should do? What dio you feel in your heart is the path you just have to follow. We've been friends almost all our lives, Hanamichi. I won't even attempt to try to make you do something against you're natural instincts. I don't know what good it'll do you, but I'll answer your question. Isf I were you, I'd just ask her, bro. You guys have known each other so long. I'd even bet that you know Haruko more than she knows herself. Hanamichi, you have to realize that waiting too long is never a good idea. I f it happens the way you want, then good. If it doesn't, you just have to live with it. At least you'll have the answer to your questions from the girl you adore so much. None of us are really very experienced with this 'boy-girl-relationship' stuff. This is just what I think. How about you guys?" he addressed the rest of the Sakuragi Army.  
  
Surprisingly, the fat one began to speak up. "Hanamichi. We all want what's best for you. I think I speak for the group that Haruko is truly someone that really matters to you. Do you even remember what you were like before you met her? We were all street thugs. Nobody expected anything from us. When "Haruko came into your life, the changes she brought about in you -- it's just amazing. I think that you should do everything to get her. She's the one Hanamichi. She's the one."  
  
Ookusa and Noma just stared and their friend. They couldn't believe such eloquent and profound thoughts coming from their usually crazy and thoughtless friend.   
  
The two remaining friends also gave Hanamichi their thoughts on the whole thing.  
  
Sakuragi listened intently to what his friends were saying. He knew that each one of his friends were speaking from the heart. These were his truest friends talking. These people were the ones that cared most about him. He knew enough to listen well. He weighed each of his friend's thoughts. Each one of them said the same thing -- in their own way: Go for it.  
  
After the 'pep talk' from his friends, Sakuragi began to see the direction he had to take. He saw it more clearly than ever before. He chided himself for not acting upon it himself. He would ask Haruko the big question. It was now or never. He was at the crossroads -- where the friends are separated from the boyfriends. If he took more time, he would soon pass the said crossroads. There would be no turning back of time. Sieze the Day! something seemed to be shouting from inside him. Everything that he has in mind, everything he feels must be confessed to Haruko. He would be hers. He was willing to dedicate his whole life to her so early in his own life. She was the one. she was the only one.   
  
They made their trek to school relatively quiet, each of them with the same thought in their own minds.  
  
Sakuragi entered his classroom 15 minutes late. He got the usual scolding from the teacher and was allowed to attend the remaining minutes of the session. Sakuragi stared at the blackboard, neither seeing nor hearing anything, lost in thought. He snapped out it and focused his eyes on Haruko who was seated near the front but at the other side of the room.   
  
Haruko felt that she was being watched. She looked around and saw Hanamichi just staring at her. She smiled at him, saw him blush until he smiled awkwardly at her. There was no mistaking it. He really was in love with her. It was a wonder that she hadn't immediately become aware of it. In retrospect, she saw signs of his affection for her displayed in numerous instances during the height of her pointless obsession with Rukawa. However, she had since learnt her lesson. It was painful but she knew there was no denying the fact that Rukawa knew and loved only basketball. She respected him for that and wished him the best. With that thought, she resumed her life and began to notice Hanamichi. She never really wanted Sakuragi the way she wanted Rukawa but she thought she would be a fool for letting such a good person as Sakuragi Hanamichi get away.  
  
One of Haruko's closest friends, shy Fujii, saw Haruko smile at Hanamichi. The petite short-haired girl was thinking about what Haruko told her on one of their telephone conversations that week. Something she said bothered her. She knew that she had to figure out fast, whatever it was. Just the same, the way the two people acted, especially Haruko, made her uncomfortable – disturbed even. There was something that Matsui and her missed, something important.  
  
At the back corner of the room, Hanamichi steeled himself. she was definitely the love of his life. He made up his mind. He couldn't live without her any longer. It was time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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jeksjakolero - what an intriguing name! ehehehe :D anyway, thanks bro (obviously). i'll think about it.  
  
fourteen - thanks a lot! hope this new chapter is to your liking as well.  
  
chi the hopeless romantic - well, here's the next installment :D it's good to hear that people are liking my very 1st fanfic. don't worry. this won't have any yaoi content.   
  
diwata - i'm glad you liked my little story here. thanks for the tips. i'll keep them in mind. i'm not sure i pulled it off this chapter though. i'll work on it :D  
  
rook - glad that you liked it. i feel the same way, too. :D i'm planning on something like that but i'm still unsure how to pull it off. i'll figure something out sooner or later, i suppose.  
eliar swiftfire - i actually didn't notice until you pointed it out. i've made some changes since. thanks for bringing it to my attention. probably got carried away, this being my first fanfic and all. you know how it can be... :D  
  
chillax - thanks! :D  
  
  
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damn that was bad. anyway…   
  
i'm not sure how long this fic is gonna be so I'll finish when i finish, i guess. I've a feeling it'll be a 5-part but, again, i really don't know yet. I just have this feeling, y'know :D  
this chapter might not make too much sense. i'm not very sure, but i'll think of a way to piece everything together. i'll definitely edit this. i just don't like the feel of it is all.   
  
anyway, here's the draft and thanks to you all! happy new year! 


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